During its E3 keynote, Microsoft officially unveiled Xbox One S the smallest Xbox One ever although it packs more punch than the current Xbox One.
The new Xbox One model is 40% smaller than its predecessor and it does away with console's bulky power supply. It comes with a fresh coat of "robot white" paint and it can be mounted vertically or horizontally.
Aesthetics aside, the Xbox One S introduces several improvements over the original Xbox One. Most notably, the new model supports 4K Ultra HD video (including 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray) and HDR capabilities for both gaming and video. It also comes with a built-in IR blaster.
"The Xbox One S for us was a realization that first, we want to make a smaller Xbox, but there was also some capability that we saw growing out in the market around HDR and 4K video," Xbox head Phil Spencer says of the new device. "So we said, if we’re going to do an upgrade to our console, let’s go ahead and embrace some of the technologies that are coming and make those part of our core SKU."
One thing that is missing from Xbox One S though is the dedicated Kinect port. If you want to use Kinect with the new model, you'll have to use a separate USB adapter or use the Kinect for PC model. Microsoft promised to start a program to give free USB adaptors to existing Xbox One owners who decide to upgrade to S.
Xbox One S also come with an updated Xbox One controller. The refreshed controller comes in Robot white color with textured grips on the back and supports Bluetooth which extends its wireless range and allows it to be used seamlessly with Windows PC.
A special, limited edition launch edition of the Xbox One S will be available in early August with a 2TB hard drive for $399. Two standard versions will be available soon after: a 500GB edition for $299, and 1TB for $349.
